Conventional methods of sealing shaft bearings against lubricant loss utilize flexible seals, metal retainers or "O" rings which require material contact. If the seal is held stationary in the bearing housing, the material or frictional contact is with the rotating shaft journalled in the bearing. If the seal is mounted on the shaft, the frictional contact is with the housing supporting the bearing journalling the shaft. For low wear characteristics and efficient operation, high speed motors or mechanism utilizing ball bearings to journal the shaft require extremely low friction drag coefficients. The ideal design is one in which the seal is carried by the shaft and has no material contact with the wall of the housing cavity in which the ball bearing supporting the shaft is mounted.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a lubricant seal having no material contact with the stationary housing and which is capable of absorbing excess oil from the housing cavity when the system is at rest to prevent leakage past the shaft. It is a further object that the lubricant seal be capable at high speeds of centrifuging oil into the rapidly rotating inner race of the bearing to lubricate the balls of the bearing.